TactoFind: A Tactile Only System for Object Retrieval

TL;DR

TactoFind introduces a tactile-only system for localizing, identifying, and grasping objects in scenarios lacking visual input, using sparse touch feedback and careful exploration to operate effectively.

Contribution

The paper presents a novel tactile-based system capable of object retrieval without visual cues, addressing challenges of localizing and identifying objects solely through touch.

Findings

Successfully localizes objects using tactile feedback

Identifies specific objects without visual information

Achieves grasping of novel objects using only touch sensors

Abstract

We study the problem of object retrieval in scenarios where visual sensing is absent, object shapes are unknown beforehand and objects can move freely, like grabbing objects out of a drawer. Successful solutions require localizing free objects, identifying specific object instances, and then grasping the identified objects, only using touch feedback. Unlike vision, where cameras can observe the entire scene, touch sensors are local and only observe parts of the scene that are in contact with the manipulator. Moreover, information gathering via touch sensors necessitates applying forces on the touched surface which may disturb the scene itself. Reasoning with touch, therefore, requires careful exploration and integration of information over time -- a challenge we tackle. We present a system capable of using sparse tactile feedback from fingertip touch sensors on a dexterous hand to localize, identify and grasp novel objects without any visual feedback. Videos are available at https://taochenshh.github.io/projects/tactofind.